Martin Rummel

Popper: "Im Walde", Op. 50 – 1st mvt: "Eintritt"

I have a very special relationship with Popper. I have studied the Popper etudes intensively for two years, and have taught them for almost twenty. At some point I just wanted to know the human being behind the music – and now I do: he was just great, a musical genius. He played in the best orchestra of his time, then he had a world career as a soloist. He was an incredibly intelligent, witty and charismatic person. Popper was respected by Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Wagner and many other famous contemporaries. At the end of his career, he mostly taught and, together with Hubay, founded a string quartet that toured the world. He has influenced our instrument like nobody else, and does so until today.